AP police claims success in drive against tinted car windows

After a successful drive against drunken driving in the state, Andhra Pradesh traffic police launched another campaign this year against cars with tinted glasses, yielding good results.

In the state capital here, "about 98 per cent four-wheeler owners have removed dark films from their windows and we have successfully implemented the Supreme Court orders since October", Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) C V Anand told PTI.

As a result of the education programme taken up by the police to convince the car owners coupled with co-operation from media we have achieved good results in less than three months, he said.

The Supreme Court in April this year, banned the use of tinted glass, restricting visions beyond permissible limit as fixed under the Motor Vehicles Act, in vehicles.

The court had passed the order on a plea seeking complete ban on use of dark films on car windows, including vehicles used by VVIPs, alleging that many crimes in cities were committed by people using such cars with tinted windows.

However, it made clear that tinted glass can be used in vehicles of government officials for security purposes and asked the state governments to frame guidelines regarding this.

"Initially we urged four-wheeler owners to comply with the apex court order but some people resorted to various methods to avoid removing the dark tints following which city police began a special campaign to enforce directions banning the use of dark tinted films by imposing fine against those who violated the norms," Anand said.

To enforce the directions and intensify the drive, police increased the penalty amount from Rs 100 to Rs 500 from November 5, he said.  During last month, police have collected Rs 50 lakh as penalty, Anand said.

While 40,000 four wheelers were imposed with Rs 100 fine after registering a case, Rs 10 lakh were collected from 2,000 people (each Rs 500 as fine), he said.

Replying to a query, the Additional CP said official vehicles of VVIPs with “Z” and “Z plus” security are permitted to use dark film tints for security reasons on recommendation of a high-powered committee.

In Visakhapatnam city, Commissioner of Police J Purnachandra Rao launched a special drive on November 9 against use of dark films on car windows and windshields.

The police have registered 1,221 cases during the last four days and collected over Rs six lakh as fine, said V Suresh Babu, Additional Deputy Commissiner of Police (Traffic) in Visakhapantnam.